maßen

Maßen is the dative plural form of the neuter noun Maß in German. The term refers to measurements or dimensions and appears in contexts such as design, construction, and description of objects. The standard plural for the nominative and accusative cases is Maße; the dative plural is Maßen, as in den Maßen or gemäß den Maßen.

Usage and examples:

- Die Baupläne mussten den Maßen des Bauteils entsprechen.

- Wir müssen uns an den Maßen des Raums orientieren.

In everyday language, Maße is more common when speaking about the general size or dimensions, while Maßen is typically found in phrases that require the dative plural or in more formal or written contexts.

Distinctions:

- Maßen should not be confused with Massen, the plural of Masse, which means mass or bulk. Masse/Massen and Maß/Maße/Maßen belong to different word families with related but distinct meanings.

- The singular form is das Maß, meaning a measurement, extent, or a unit such as a Maß (historical German unit) or a measured dimension.

Related terms:

- Maß: the singular noun for measurement or unit

- Maße: the nominative/accusative plural for measurements or dimensions

- Maßstab: scale or standard for measurement

- Maßeinheit: unit of measurement

Maßen thus represents a specific grammatical form used primarily in contexts involving measurements, while the more common plural for general discussion of dimensions remains Maße.